Transmission shaft seal leak????

This was a good subject to discuss. I will add that when the day comes that my leaking transmission has to be removed, or the engine has to be removed for some reason, the only thing that is going back in is a new transmission. Too much labor to risk problems with a rebuilt unit. That having been said, on my 370 with the old school individual deck hatches instead of the large motorized hatch, pulling a motor is not too bad. Once the boat is out of the water the hatches come out, the support rails come out and the motor can be picked up and out with a lift. I had the Starboard motor removed in 2004 and they just unbolted it from the trans and lifted it out with out pulling the prop shaft of trans.
 
My 37 leaked as well. It had 454s straight inboards. Started leaking after 5 years but never enough to show up on the dip stick. I lived with it by putting diapers underneath the trannys and gave that area of the bilge a shot of 409 cleaner once a year. It takes very little fluid to make a several inch stain on a white diaper....I'm talking a few drops. My mechainic who stood to gain from it said, "There are some things you just keep an eye on. This is one of them."
 
fwebster said:
Check the warranty on any rebuilt transmission. Frequently, a rebuilder takes one apart, replaces only what is worn or broken then puts it back toether. What you are getting is a used transmission with a few new parts.

Fully rebuilt or remanufactured means new bearings, new seals, new clutches, new pump, etc. That sounds good, but the cost is within shouting distance of the cost of a new transmission, if you can even find one with the correct ratio.

As Jon says, the transmission is a small part of the picture. On most newer Sea Rays, the boat has to be hauled, the prop and shaft removed, the shaft seal removed, the cockpit seating, icemaker, refrigerator, etc removed, the deck unbolted and lifted off with a crane/travel lift, the engine may or may not have to be removed (depends on how much room there is between the bulkhead and the transmission).........only then can you begin to remove and replace the transmission.

R & R the transmission in 2 hours, but it'll take 2 men 2-3 days to get to where that can be done. When you are done, you go the other way and spend another 4-6 man-days putting the boat back together.

Big job....big money........buy diapers.
Click to expand...


I am going to wait and watch and diaper it for now.

It does not look like I would have all of that, true the boat has to be pulled and the shaft dropped, The engine hatch and side panels removed will have to be removed, possibly the hatch frame as well, then it it looks like enough room to get a hoist overhead.

I found a post which tells how to do it, (basically in a simplified form) you need to loosen the engine mounting bolts and place some supporting timber under the rear of the engine. Remove the transmission mounting bolts, remove transmission, either replace or rebuild, replace transmission, do the alignment procedures, and mounting bolts tightening.

Note in this description I said "simplified form."

:thumbsup:
 
Seriously, try some Berryman's transmission seal conditioner. The stuff flat works. If it is as minor as you say, this may be all you have to do to it for several years.
 
Here are a few photos, I am starting to wonder if maybe the gasket which holds the two transmission halves together might have developed a leak. To me it does not appear that it is the shaft seal which is leaking, or I am wondering if maybe the bolt on the right, the one not painted might be slightly loose, yet I cannot turn it by hand. I am losing some fluid from some where.

I have a question I need someone to answer, is there a gasket at the top of the fluid level checking dipstick? Maybe underway I am getting a leak from around the dipstick.

Could a filter which is partially clogged be forcing oil out from around the dipstick while I am underway? I have the filters which have the alien screws in them for removal. I am also lucky enough to have the transmissions which still have the drain plug.

I have looked but cannot find a procedure to clean these filters. I have heard they can be cleaned and replaced, or should I just do new at $60.00 - $100.00 each?

Lastly this is not what I call "Good News," so I call it "Mo Better News." The marina here if the needs does arise can pull the the transmission as I have described above (Post 24) without having to take boat nearly completely apart and return it, remount th etransmission in probably 8-10 hours labor cost. They have a company they use here in Jacksonville, Florida which then checks the transmission, replaces the seals for around $1,000.00 - $1,200. So if I have to end up going that route eventually it is ceratinly 'Mo Better" sounding to me.

Look under the center bolt then about straight down onto the diaper.

UnderStbdTransmissionDrainPlug.jpg


Previuosly mentioned bolt I asked about above.

UnderStbdTransmissionView.jpg

I have rotated the image so it can be seen in the more normal plane position in which it is sets.

UnderStbdTransmissionViewRotated.jpg
 
Last edited:
Man how did you take these pictures? I have only ever felt this parts let alone seen them. There is no gasket around the dip stick. It just has a rubber plug that gets compressed when you tighten down the handle. The filters are servicable. Your remove them and then clean them using a solvent and the blow then out and let them dry. I have two sets so that I dont have to wait around when I change the fluid which I do every other season up here in NJ. Unless that leak was really bad I dont think I would go to the expense of pulling the tranny to attempt to fix it. Dipers are cheap. Mine leaks about 1/2 pint of fluid over the season, I just keep an eye on the fluid and change the diper from time to time.
 
Great info and great thread. Try cleaning around the dip stick and then use tape to secure a white tissue all the way around the dip stick. Run the boat. Check for fluid. Do the same around the seal. If the one around the seal gets dirty from the far side of the seal, then it's not the seal. Good luck.
 
J Levine said:
Man how did you take these pictures?..
Click to expand...

A couple of years ago I purchased an inexpensive small Canon S2 IS camera which has the stability control and also has a macro option, though these photos were taken without using the macro setting.

So I set the camera on auto, opened the wide angle setting all the way, popped up the flash attachment, got down in the bilge and run the camera under the engine at differnet locations and clicked away. It takes a bit of touch learning operating one-handed, but with today's SD chips, what is a few extra pictures?:huh:

I have found that this is a good way to see items which are not easy to access, I also have taken these photos, printed them ful size and put them into a book. Basically what I am doing is creating a book which shows everything in the engine room in pretty good detail, especially items with labels.

It comes in handy for when I am at home and I need to recall where something is located or what something is in the bilge.

I am in the process of photographing everything, from the holding tank vent filter, Westerbeke generator, Auto pilot, serpentine belts, fuels filters, etc.

:thumbsup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,218
Messages
1,428,820
Members
61,115
Latest member
Gardnersf
Back
Top